Rotary machine having improved oil circulation means



Oef. 15, 1935.

ROTARY MACHINE HAVING IMPROVED OIL CIRCULATION MEANS Original Filed JuneA3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l f w ,M v\\\\\\\\\ pw Oct. l5, i935.

D. M. SMITH 2,017,260

ROTARY MACHINEA HAVING `IMPROVED OIL CIRCULATION MEANS Original FiledJune 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT Toe/VSM Y Patented Oct. l5, 1935 ROTRYIHACHINEA HAVING CIRCULATION ME OFFICE nuPnovED om Ans David M. Smith,Hermosa Beach, Calif., assigner to Emsco Derrick & Equipment Company,Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California original appllationJune s, 1931, serial No. `541,771. Divided and this application February13, 1933, Serial No. 656,604

22 Claims. (Cl. Z55-23) Miy invention relates to rotary machines of thecharacter employed in drilling oil wells by the so-called rotary systemand this application is a division of my application entitled Oil endclosed rotary, Serial No, 541,771, led June 3,

lo of the rotary machine and carries a bit at its oilreservoirinwhichabody of lubricant is mainlower end. In the present common form ofroyained, and in which the pinion of the rotary tary machine the rotarytable has a bevel or machine is rotatable, the pinion being operatedring gear which is driven by a pinion mounted to carry or splash tllllelubricant to the rotary on a pinion shaft, which pinion shaft isjourtable ring gear mes ing therewith. l

l5 nalled in bearings of the rotary machine. A It is a still furtherobject of my invention to 1 sprocket is secured to the outer end of thepinion provide in a rotary machine, as described in shaft, and thissprocket isldriven from a draw the above paragraph, means for deliveringa works of the derrick by a chain and sprocket ow of lubricant from thering gear to the roarrangement. When'the rotary machine is opertary4table bearing, and means for delivering ated, the rotary table isrotated and3 the drill lubricant from the rotary table-bearing back into20 pipe and bit are thuscaused to rota e, the bit the oil reservoir.digging away the bottom of the hole in order to Another unique featureof my present invendeepen same. tion is that the main table bearing isof a ta' Oil wells today are being drilled to exceedpered roller bearingtype having the roller bearingly4 great depths, ncessitating larger andings so arranged that the axes of the rollers are 2li heavier drillingappara us which consequently disposed at an angle to the horizontal sothat materially increases the already tremendous` the faces of therollers lie .in aplane at a steep l strains to which rotary machines aresubjected angle from horizontal in order to facilitate the during thedrilling of an oil well. As a result, centering of the table on thebase.

the working parts of rotary machines have been In the following detaileddescription of my $0 made more and more rugged and massive in. inventionother objects and important advanorder that these strains and stressesmay be withtages of the invention Willbe pointed out. For A stood.Furthermore, it has and is becoming quite the purpose of illustratingthe details of my inneoessary to provide Suitable and amplelubrivention, I have selected what I consider at the Cation for theWorking or Wearing parts-0f the present time to be the preferred form ofmy in- 85 rotary machines in order to minimize friction and vention. Itshould be understood that I do not to reduce wear. wish to be limited tothis particular form of my t iS ant ObJeCt ormy Preslllliltlnvlfnllon t0E IO- invention, since I understand my invention to be vi e a ro ary mao111e in W .C a e WOY 111g susceptible of embodiment in various forms.

parts are completely enclosed and constantly lu-` Referring, to thedrawings which accompany d0 bricated. this specification,

It is another object of my invention to pro- Fig. 1 is an elevationalview, partly sectioned, vide an oil enclosed rotary machine in which theof a rotary machine incorporating the features bevel ring gearv of therotary table, the pinion, of my invention and the main table thrustbearing included in Fig' 2 is a plan View of Fig 1; Fig. 2 boing no1V'ottrcyfmachine are all operable in a common partly in Section It isone of the important ObJects of my m- 'villgshwiiigatlhrlllirngngrvhiellatllse lsukriglal't vention to provide a rotary machine in whichthe main table bearing is constantly bathed by 1S delivered from the nggear to the. minS for so a stream or now of on which passes through thedlrectlng the lubricant to the matin bearing. bearing. This oil is socirculated ythat when it Flg- 4h15. a fragmentary .View lllustmting theis delivered 'to the main table bearing, it is relmanner 1n which thelubricant passes through atively cool and relatively clean. i o the mainbearing and is delivered therefrom to It is a further object to providea rotary ma- .the oil or lubricant reservoir. u

In the oil well drilling industry a rotary machine is placed on thederrick licor of a well. The drill pipe extends through a rotary tablechine of the character referred to in the foregoing paragraph in whichthereis an oil reservoir to which the oil ows after lubricating andcooling the main table bearing wherein any sediment may settle to thebottom of the oil reservoir and thus permit only the clean oil to becirculated through the parts to be lubricated.

It is another object of my invention to provide in a rotary machine ofthe type described an A 7. within the annular wall I6 and the lower por-Referring to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, Ihave illustrated a roskids I2 depend, and adjacent one end thereof,

is a vertically extending annular wall I6 which is of a diametersubstantially equal to the width of the horizontal wall I3. Formed alsointegrally with the wall I3 is a vertically extending annular wall 22which is of smaller diameter than the annular wall I6 and cooperateswith this wall I6 and the horizontal -wall I3 to forni an oil orlubricant reservoir 23. The wall 22 extends upwardly from the wall I3 acomparatively short distance relative to the wall `I 6 and' is ofconsiderably greater thicknessfor the purpose of providing an upperhorizontal face 25 for the support of a rotary table bearing generallydesignated by the numeral 26. The inner annular surface 21 of the wall22 denes an -opening which extends this-` opening being concentric withthe vertically extending annular wall I6., v

Thebearing 26 is preferably of the tapered roller type and comprises alower stationary race 30, tapered rollers 3| spaced by a roller retainer32 and an upper rotatable race 33, The lower race 30 is 'prevented fromrotation relative to the base I2 by a series of dowel pins, one of whichis shown. at 34 in Fig. 1, which project upwardly' from the surface 25of the wall 22 and extend into depressions formed in the lower face ofthe race 30, as shown. The bearing 26 is preferably designed so thatythe axes of rotation Vof the ta,- pered rollers 3| are positioned atapproximately 45 from the vertical or from the horizontal so that theupper faces of these rollers lie in a plane at a relatively steep anglefrom the horizontal t0 facilitate the centering of a rotary table 40which is journalled by the bearing 26. This rotary table 40 includes avertically extending cylindrical wall 4I of such an external diameter asto engage the inner surface 21 of the wall 22 in a running fit, thiswall 4I terminating upwardly in an annular shoulder .42 which provides adownwardly facing horizontal surface 43 against which the race 33 abutsand to which this race is secured by suitable means.

Formed integrally with the wall 4I of the table 48 is a horizontallyextending ilange or body portion forming the table top 44 of the rotarytable 40. The peripheral part 45 of the table top 44 is positionedadjacent the upper edge of the annular wall I6 and forms a relativelytight joint to prevent the leakage of lubricant from the oil reservoir23. Securedto the under side of the table top 44 and secured thereto isa ring gear 46 provided with downwardly facing bevel teeth 41. The ringgear 46 has an internal diameter slightly greater than the'outerdiameter of the bearing 26\ and has an external diameter slightly lessthan the internal diameter of the annular wall I6.

For the purpose of operating the rotary table 40 I provide a pinion 48having bevel teeth 49 adapted to engage the teeth 41 of the ring gear46. This pinion, as shown in Fig. 1, is positioned ion 48 is secured tothe inner end of a pinion shaft.

58. The pinion shaft 50 is supported by a pair through the horizontalwall I3,

aoimeo of pinion shaft bearings 5I which includes suitable housings forsupporting them, and the outer end thereof has a sprocket 62 securedthereto by means of which the rotary machine may be operated. 5

For the purpose of holding the table 4II in place and preventing samefrom being inadvertently raised from position, I provide a hold-downbearing 54 which is supported between a lower wall 55 of the base II anda retaining member 66 i0 which is secured tothe lower end of thecylindrical wall 4I of the rotary table 40. This holddown bearing 54prevents the rotary table 40 from ,being raised, while any weight on therotary table during the operation thereof is carried by the l5 'maintable bearing 26.

Secured to the inner surface of the wall I6, as by screws or othermeans, are a number of downwardly sloping drip pans 80 which constitutea means for delivering lubricant to the main bear- 20 ing 26. These drippans 80 are positioned directly below the ring gear 46 incliningdownwardly and inwardly, as shown. 'I'he drip pans 80 are shown to bethree in number and are positioned in spaced relationshiparound theannular wall 25 I6 and above the oil or lubricant reservoir 23, but itis of course apparent that the number of these pans is immaterial. Uponan inspection, of Fig. 4, it will be seen that the inner part of thedrip pans 30 projects above outer portions of 30 the main table bearing26.

As shownbestin Fig. 4, the numeral 8l designates an oil throw-oil meanswhich is adapted to return lubricating fluid from the bearing 26 to theoil reservoir 23. This throw-oil means 8I in- 85 cludes a narrowvertically extending annular flange 82 formed on the inner annular partoi the bearing supporting face 25 of the wall 22. Formed on the outersurface of the cylindrical wall 4I of the rotary table 40 at a pointimme- 40 diately above the flange 32 and directly below the bearingretainer 32, is a plurality of annular grooves 83 which forms aplurality of relatively sharp edges, as shown. The' grooves 83 areprovided for the purpose of preventing lubricating 45 fluid from iindingits way downwardly between the wall 4I and the flange 82 of the wall 23by reason of the fact that these grooves collect any uid which might beowing downwardly on the surface of the cylindrical wall 4I and the same50 is thrown outwardly above the flange 82 by centrifugal force as therotary table revolves. Provided in spaced relationship in the uppersurface 25 of the wall 22 is a plurality of downwardly and outwardlysloping drainV channels 85. drain channels 85 extend from the base ofthe flange 82 tothe outer periphery of the annular wall 22 and areprovided for the purpose of delivering lubricating fluid thrown from thegroove 83 and flowing from the bearing 26 back into the oil reservoir23.

The operation of the rotary machine and particularly the operation ofthe parts which constitute the essence of my invention are as follows:Upon rotation-of the pinionshaft 50, the pinion 48, due to itsengagement with the teeth 41 of the ring gear 46, causes the rotarytable 40 to be rotated. Due to the fact that the lower part of thepinion 48 is submerged in the bodv of lubricating uid contained in thereservoir 23, it picks up a quantity of lubricant and carries it intocontact with the teeth 41 of the ring gear 46.

A portion of this lubricant, which is oil, ordinarily, adhering to theteeth 41 of the ring gear, is thrown outwardly by centrifugal forceagainst 'I'hese 55 .2,017,2o- I l 3 the inner surface of the wall I 6,and in passing downwardly by gravity is collected bythe'dripvthe drainchannels 85 and into the reservoir 23,`

as indicated by the arrows E of Fig. 4.- A portion of the lubricatingoil passing inwardlyvthrough the bearing 26 will adhere or tend toAadhere to the cylindrical wall 4|, and will flow downwardly over thesurface thereof until reaching the throwoff groove means v83 wherein thelubricating oil will collect and will vbe thrown outwardlyby centrifugalforce over and above the flange 82 and into the drain channels 85, asindicated by the arrows F of Fig. 4.

It will be seen that the oil circulating means oi my invention deliversa continuous ,flowor stream of lubricant to the main bearing 26.Thislubricant has a very valuable washing and cooling action on thebearing and' effectively: cools the bearing and washes the bearingsurfaces cleany as well as supplying the necessary lubrication to enableits efficient operation. The lubricant chamber 23 provides a settlingspace wherein any particles or sediment carried in the oil may settleout. It will be understood that in relatively large castings there willbe small fragments of metal breaking loose or scale breaking loose fromthe walls, as well as particles of` sand which are carried in the poresof the metal, this sand being deposited in the surfaces or pores of themetal during the casting operation. Due to the continuous iiow oflubricant over the main bearing 26, none of these foreign particles willremain in the bearing due to the eiective washing action.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of Aoilwells, the combination of: a

vbase; a table above said base, said table and base cooperating toprovide an annular oil chamber; a main bearing supported by said base.adjacent said oil chamber and in open communication therewith; meansfor driving said rotary table, including a pinion, and a ring gearmounted on saidrotary table within said chamber, said pinion beingadapted to deliver oil to said ring'gear; and means for directing theoil from said ring gear inwardly above the oil level of said chamber tosaid main bearings.

2. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the combinationof: a base; a rotary table above said base, saidbase and table cooperating to provide a lubricant chamber; a cylindricalwall depending. from said table; 4a bearing supported by said base at ahigher level than said lubricant chamber and surrounding saidcylindrical wall, said bearing supporting said rotary table; meanssupplyingA said bearing with lubricant from a level above the bearing;and drain means extending downwardly from said bearing for deliveringthe lubricant from the inner part of said bearing downwardly to saidlubricantcharnber.

3.*In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the'combination of: a

base; a rotary table above said base, said base and table cooperating toprovide a -lubricant chamber; a cylindrical wall depending from saidtable; a bearing supported by said base and,

surrounding said cylindrical wall, said bearing supporting said rotarytable; means whereby said l bearing Vis supplied with lubricant; anddrain means situated below said bearing for .delivering .the lubricantfrom the inner part of said bearing to said lubricant chamber. 5

4. -In a'rotary machine of the type employed in the' drilling of oilwells, the combination of: a base; a rotary table abovelsaid base, saidbase and table cooperating to provide a lubricant chamber; a cylindricalwall depending from said 10 table; a bearing supported by said base andsurrounding said cylindrical wall, said bearing sup- -a base; a rotarytable above said base, said base and table cooperating to provide alubricant chamber; a cylindrical wall depending from said table; abearing supported by said base and sur- 25 rounding said cylindricalwall, said bearing supporting said rotary table; means whereby saidvbearing is supplied with lubricant; drain means situated below saidbearing for delivering the lubricant from the inner part of said.bearingf30 to said lubricant chamber; and means on said` cylindricalwall adapted to throw the lubricant i outwardly therefrom so that thelubricant will flow intoV said drain means.

6. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the combination of a base having an upstanding wall; a rotarytable cooperating with said upstanding wall for providing a lubricantchamber; a shelf inwardly of said upstanding wall and adjacent saidchamber; a bearing on said shelf for rotatably supporting said rotarytable; drive meansfor driving said table including a ring gearsecured tosaid table and a pinion gear, both of which 'are within said chamber,said pinion gear delivering lubricant to said; ring gear; and meansabove the oil level in the lubricant chamber for directing lubricantdropping from said ring gear inwardly to said bearing.

7. In a rotary machine of the type employed in drilling oil wells, thecombination of t a base having an annular oil channel and an annularshelf inwardly of said oil channel; a bearing supported on said shelf; atable supported on said bearing, said table cooperating with said baseto form a closed chamber in which said annular oil channel, lsaid shelf,and said bearing are located; a ring gear -secured to said table andsituated in said chamber above said oil channel; means for supplying oilto said ring gear, said oil droppingdownwardly in said chamber from theteeth thereof; and means for intercepting said oil falling through saidchamber and delivering same to said bearing.

8. In a rotary machine of the type employed in drilling oil wells, thecombination of a base having an annular oil channel and an annular shelfinwardly of said oil channel; a bearing supported on said shelf; a tablesupported on said .ated in said chamber above said oil channel; Vmeansfor supplying oil to said ring gear, said oil dropping downwardly insaid chamber from the teeth thereof; and a pan situated in said chamberbelow said ring gear for intercepting said oil falling through saidchamber and delivering same to said bearing.

9. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the combination oi: a base having an annular oil channel; arotary table above said base andcooperating therewith to form a closedchamber in which said oil channel is located; a bearing in said chamberadjacent said oil channel for rotatably supporting said table; a ringgear on said table within said chamber; means for supplying said ringgear with oil, said oil falling from said ring gear; and

means for intercepting said oil fallingfrom said 4 ring gear anddelivering same to said bearing, said oil then ilowing from said bearingto said oil channel.

10. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the combination oi: a base having an annular oil channel; arotary table above said base and cooperating therewith to form a closedchamber in which said oil channel is located; a' bearing in said chamberadjacent said oil channel for rotatably supporting said table; a ringgear on said table within said chamber; means for supplying said ringgear with oil, said oil falling from said ring gear; and

a pan in said chamber below said ring gear for intercepting said oilfalling from said ring gear and delivering same to said bearing, saidoil then flowing from said bearing to .said oil channel.

l1. In a rotary machine of the typeemployed in the drilling of oilwells, the combination of a base having an annular oil channel; a rotarytable above said base and cooperating therewith to form a closed chamberin which lsaid oil channel is located; a bearing in said chamberadjacent said oil channel for rotatably supporting said table; a ringgear on said table within saidv chamber; means for supplying said ringgear with oil, said cil falling from said ring gear; means forintercepting said oil falling from said ring gear and delivering same tosaid bearing, said oil then flowing from said/bearing to s'aid oilchannel; and hold-down means for said table outside said chamber. y

12. In a rotary machine of the type employed in the drilling of oilwells, the combination of: a base having an annular oil channel; arotary table above said base and cooperating therewith to form a closedchamber in which said oil channelis located; a bearing in said chamberadjacent said oil channel for rotatably supporting said table; a ringgear on said table within said chamber; means for supplying said ringgear with' oil, said oil falling from` said ring gear; a pan in saidchamber below said ring gear for intercepting said oil falling from saidring gear and delivering same to said bearing, said oil then flowingfrom said bearing to said oil channel; and hold-down means'for saidtable outside said chamber. ,5

13. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells, thecombination of: a base having an annular oil channel;` a bearingsupported by said base inwardly of said oil channel and being at ahigher level than said oil channel; a rotary table supported by saidlbearing; means fordelivering oil to said bearing from a level above theoil level in the oil channel; and walls forming an oil passage fordelivering said oil from the inner part of said bearing downwardly tosaid Voil channel.

14. In a rotary machine of the type employed rfor drilling oil wells,the combination of: a base having an annular oil channel; a bearingsupported by said base inwardly of said oil channel. there being a spaceinwardly of said bearing; a 5 rotary table supported by said bearing;means for delivering oil to said bearing; and walls forming an oilpassagev connected to said space inwardly of said bearing and to saidoil channel and extending beneath said bearing for de- 10 livering saidoil from the inner part of said bearing to said oil channe ported bysaid base inwardly of said oil channel; a rotary table supported by saidbearing and having an extension which is surrounded by said bearing,there being an annular -space inwardly of said bearing; means fordelivering oil to said 20 bearing, .said oil owing through said bearinginto said space; and walls on said base forming an oil passage connectedto said space inwardly of said bearing and to said oil channel, andextending beneath said bearing for delivering said 26 oilfrom the innerpart of said bearing to said oil channel.

16. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells, thecombination of: a base having an annular oil channel; a bearing sup- 80ported by said base inwardly of said oil channel:

a rotary table supported by said bearing and having an extension whichis surrounded by said bearing, there being an annular space inwardly ofsaid bearing; means for delivering oil to said 35v bearing, said oilflowing through said bearing into said space; walls on said base formingan oil passage'connected to said space inwardly 'of said bearing and tosaid oil channel and extending beneath said'bearing for deliveringv saidoil 40 from the inner part of said bearing to said oil channel; andmeans for throwing oil from said extension into said space.

1'7. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells,the combination of: a base 4K5' f channel.

18. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells, thecombination of: a base having an annular oil channel; a bearingsupported by said base inwardly of said oil channe therefbeing a spaceinwardly of said bearing; a 60 rotary table supported by said bearing; aring gear on said table; means for delivering oil to said ring gear,said oil falling downwardly from said ring gear; means for interceptingsaid falling oil and delivering same to said bearing; and walls on saidbase forming an oil passage connected to said space inside said bearingand to said oil channel and extending beneath said bearing fordelivering said oil from the inner part of said bearing to said oilchannel. l

19. In a rotary `machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells,the combination of: a base having an annular oil channel; a bearingsupported by said base inwardly of said oil channel; a rotary tablesupported by said bearing and i 2,017,260 having an extension which issurrounded by said 'g forming an oil passage connected to said spaceinwardly-of said bearing and to said oil channel and extending beneathsaid bearing for delivering said oil from the inner part of said bearingto said oil channel.

20. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells, thecombination of a base having an annular oil channel; a bearing supportedyby said base inwardly of said oil channel; a rotary table supported bysaid bearing and .having an extension which is surrounded by saidbearing, there being an annular space inwardly of said bearing; a ringgearv on said table, means for delivering oil to said ring gear, saidoil falling downwardly from said ring gear; means for intercepting saidfalling oil and delivering same to said bearing, said oil owing throughsaid bearing intosaid space; walls on said base forming an oil passageconnected to said space inwardly of said bearing and to said oilchannel,

Aand extending beneath said bearing for delivering-said oilfrom theinner part of said bearing to said oil channel; and means forthrowingoil from said extension into said space.

21. In a. rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells,the combination o1' a base having an annular oil channel; a bearingsupported by said base inwardly of said oil channel; a rotary tablesupported vby said bearing; 5

a ring gear on said table; means for delivering oil to said ring gear,said oil falling downwardly from said ring gear; a removable pan meansfor intercepting said falling oil and delivering same to said bearing;and walls forming an oil passage for delivering -sai-d oil from theinner part of said bearing to said oil channel.

22. In a rotary machine of the type employed for drilling oil wells, thecombination of a base having an annular oil channel; a bearing supportedby said base inwardly of said oil channel; a rotary table supported bysaid bearing and having an extension which is' surrounded by saidbearing, there being an annular space inwardly of said bearing; a ringgear on said table; means for delivering oil to said ring gear, said oilfalling downwardly from said ring gear;

a removable pan means for intercepting said falling oil and deliveringsame to said bearing, said oil owing through said bearing into saidspace; and walls on said base forming an oil passage connected to saidspace inwardly of said bearing and to said oil channelv and extendingbeneath said bearing for delivering said oil from the inner part of saidbearing to said oil channel:

DAVID M. SMITH.

